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Author Notes:I worked very hard to find a good gluten-free pie dough that I could play around with a little. Most of them are super tough to work and not easily handled. I finally found a crust I was able to make lovely pie crust decorations without losing my mind. For thanksgiving, I developed this recipe for salted apple caramel pie inspired by Four + Twenty Blackbirds amazing creation. —SASSY KITCHEN

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Serves 6

CRUST:

2/3
cup brown sugar

1/3
cup oat flour

1/4
cup sorghum flour

3/4
teaspoon xanthum gum

2
tablespoons powdered sugar

8
tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cubed

1
tablespoon tapioca starch

1/4
teaspoon salt

1. In a large food processor, add flours, powdered sugar, xanthum gum and salt. Pulse a few times until well combined. Carefully add in 1 egg and cold, cubed butter. Pulse until the mixture comes away and forms a dough. Use your hands to form a disk, dust with tapioca starch and wrap in syran wrap. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2. Once your crust is chilled, roll out your dough between two pieces of parchment paper, making sure to flour EVERYTHING well. I used brown rice flour and sorghum. Roll out to about 10 inches or so, adding more flour if your dough gets sticky. Peel off the top parchment layer, put your (GREASED) pie plate face down on the dough. Hold the pie plate and one hand under the parchment (use help if you have it!) and flip the pie plate right side up, making sure to keep the pie as flat and intact as possible. I did this in one go, so the method worked well for me! Use whatever works for you.

3. Peel off the last sheet of parchment and fit your dough to the pan, using your hands to press into the pan. Choose your favorite pie crust design, I did a "pinch" design, shown visually here, along with other ideas.

FILLING & CARAMEL:

1
cup sugar

8
tablespoons butter, unsalted

1/2
cup heavy cream

1/4
cup water

1 1/2
teaspoons maldon sea salt

6-7
apples, sliced paper thin (I used granny smith and honeycrisp)

1
lemon, juice only

2/3
cup turbinado sugar

1
teaspoon cinnamon

1
pinch nutmeg, freshly grated

1
pinch salt

TO MAKE CARAMEL: Combine sugar and water over medium low heat in a medium saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add unsalted butter and bring mixture to a low boil. Let dissolve and keep at a low boil until mixture darkens to a copper color. (Note: this may take a while, don't turn up the heat! If it's too hot, it will burn and be ruined. Be patient)

Once the mixture reaches it's golden color, remove from heat and slowly pour in heavy cream. The caramel will steam, so be careful -- it's hot. Bring saucepan back to the stove over very low heat and stir in sea salt. After 5 minutes, remove from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes. (This recipe will make a large amount of caramel, you might have some leftover, but I made extra so I could drizzle on each pie slice upon serving. Plus, if you have leftover apples, you have yourself an indulgent snack.)

FOR FILLING: Using a mandolin, slice your apples into paper thing slices and add to a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and mix very carefully with your hands. Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix again with your hands making sure not to damage your apples (we're making roses here!).

To assemble roses: Lay out about 4-5 apple slices in a line. Once you lay one down, overlap the next one about 1/2 inch and continue doing so for each slice you add (overlapping each just slightly). Then, you will roll up the line of apple slices tightly making sure to carefully keep the "rose" in-tact. Place each rose in your pie and continue until filled! This process takes patience, but it's not hard. Just go slow, and experiment with adding different sizes or colors :)

Once pie is chilled, add to 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Be sure to drizzle more caramel over top once pie is cooled and again before serving ;) Serve a la mode or with fresh whipped cream (or both).